proctor



G. A. PROCTOR.

MECHANICAL HORN.

APPUCATION FILED APR.27.1914.

Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEETV 1.

//V VE N TOR WITNESSES A TTOR/VEY G. A. PROCTOH.

MECHANICAL HORN.

APPLICATION FILED APR.27 1914. 1,195,725. PatentedAug. 22,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR A rom/Er GEORGE PROCTOR, OF WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO LOVELL- MCCONNELL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

MECHANICAL HORN.

Specificatioof eters l ate nt. Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

Application filed April 27, 19 14. Serial No. 834,622.

To all whom it on (13 concern Be it known that I, Gnonon A. Pnoc'ron, a citizen of the United States, and resident of lVatertown, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in Mechanical Horns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that type of alarm or warning signal commonly; employed on automobiles and other vehicles, and in which there is mounted a flexible diaphragm, and means for'vibrating the latter to produce the desired sound.

The main object of my invention is to. produce the diaphragm vibrations by a rapid tapping or striking of the diaphragm at'a frequency independent of the frequency of bodily vibration of the diaphragm and directly within the control of the operator, whereby the loudness may be varied at will to meet varying conditions and necessities.

In carrying out my invention, in its preferred embodiment, I employ a diaphragm vibrating member pivotally supported between the diaphragm and the rotor, and this member and the rotor are so designed and so correlated that the movements of said member both toward and from the diaphragm are positively and forcibly imparted thereto. Preferably the diaphragm vibrating member is unattached to and entirely independent of the diaphragm, so that the forced movements in one direction deliver blows to the diaphragm, While the forced movement in the opposite direction brings the diaphragm member free of the diaphragm and avoids any muflling effect which might be produced by permitting the said member to remain in contact" with the diaphragm for any appreciable length of time.

In the ordinary sounding of my improved signal the taps or blows will be at a frequency materially different from that of the natural bodily swings of the diaphragm, and a series of ripples and waves will be set up in the diaphragm rather than the full bodily swings Which are necessary .to the production of the .Klaxon note. The frequency of the taps or blows is of course controlled by the speed of rotation of the rotor, but this speed is to a limited extent controlled by the resistance ofi'ered to the rapid change of direction 0f movement of the dia- "Preferably I make the diaphragm vibrating member of a short approximately straight rigid metal bar pivotally supported intermediate of its ends so as to be partly bal anced, and I so design it that the maximum force with the desired high frequency is secured. By making the bar rigid I avoid tendency toward any natural periodicity of vibration, and eliminate all springs. Preferably the diaphragm vibrating member constitutes a tapper, and is entirely free from the diaphragm. 'A certain amount of lost motion is preferably permitted between the rotor and striking member so that the striking head of the latter may swing out beyond the point to which it is positively n pushed and thus it need not positively push the diaphragm, but will strike it a blow. Its striking movement may be stopped by the diaphragm irrespective of slightly varying positions of said diaphragm during the latters vibrations.

The frequency of vibration of the diaphragm and the consequent pitch of the tone produced, may be varied by loading the diaphragm at the center. Load may be entirely removed by letting the tapper strike directly against the diaphragm, or a wearpiece may be placed on the diaphragm, which will not only load the diaphragm but receive the impacts of the tapper. To secure the desired adjustment of the tapper in respect to the diaphragm one may be adjusted bodily in respect to the other or the Wear-piece, if there beone, maybe adjusted toward and from the tapper, and in respect to the diaphragm.

The rotor of my improved horn may be oscillated by'driving mechanism operable first in one direction, andthen in the other and the rotor may be driven in any wellknown manner, common in automobile horns, such for instance as by hand driven multiplying gearing. By this arrangement the speed of rotation may be better controlled; the cost of manufacture reduced; and the ins allation simplified. I may, and

preferably do, employ a plurality of tapping or striking members operated preferablyfroma single rotor, so that the speed of the latter may be kept down within comparativelylow limits without reducing the desired high frequency of taps or blows.

Merely as illustrative of certain concrete embodiments of my invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the broken away; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Figs. 4, 5

and 6 are side views of modified forms of.

diaphragm vibrating means, said views being somewhat diagrammatic and on a smaller scale; Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 6. I

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have illustrated one form which my invention may assume. The circular metal diaphragm 10 has its periphery held between diaphragmcl'amping members 11 and 12, by means of screws 13. The front clamping member 11 is illustratedas a part of a front casing member 14, which carries a resonator 15 and the back clamping member .12 is illustrated as constituting an outwardly projectingflange on the end of the rear casing 16 which incloses the operating mechanism. All of these parts may be constructed in accordance with wellestablished practice and may be varied at will without departing from the spirit of my invention, as the details of these parts and their relative arrangement form no portion of my invention.

My invention resides primarily in the combination with the diaphragm of my improved diaphragm vibrating mechanism, certain specific forms of which are illustrated. This diaphragm vibrating mechanism in its preferred embodiment includes a diaphragm tapping or striking member 18, preferably in the form of a comparatively short substantially straight rigid metal bar pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends.

on av shaft 20, so that one end thereof is disposed in operative relationship to thecentral portion of the diaphragm. The'zdiaphragm is caused to vibrate by the vibration or oscillation of this bar about its pivotal support,-and preferably by one end of the bar striking said central portion of the diaphragm a series of tapsor blows. To increase the effectiveness of the blows the bar may have one end thereof slightly larger than the, body of the bar to form 2. diaphragm tapping head 19, but this end portion may be of the same size as the body of tapping head.

the bar and still constitute a diaphragm In order that this member may strike the diaphragm with. the desired force and may be immediately withdrawn from engagement with the diaphragm, so as not to interfere with the continued vibrations set up in the, latter, I so design this diaphragm vibrating member 18 and the operating mechanism therefor, that said memberis not only forced toward the diaphragm but is also forced orpositively moved away from the diaphragm. In other words, I mechanically move the diaphragm vibrating member in both directions instead of relying upon a spring, the rebound from the diaphragm or the return swing of the latter to return the member after the blow is struck. The oper. ting mechanism for producing the desire to and fro forced movements of the bar which constitutes the diaphragm vibrating member, includes a rotor .23 mounted on a shaft 24 and having a series of teeth inj operative engagement with two teeth 21 and 22 on.the bar 18. These teeth are disposed upon opposite sides of the pivotal support 20 for the bar. In other words, the tooth 22 is at the end of the bar opposite tothe diaphragm tapping head 19 while the tooth 21 is between the head and the pivotal support, preferably approximately midway. The two teeth 21 and 22 engage with the rotor at spaced points along the periphery of the latter and as one tooth of the bar enters between two successive teeth of the rotor the other tooth of the bar will pass over atooth of the rotor so that forced to and fro movements are imparted to the bar upon the rotation of the rotor. The slight amount of lost motion between the bar and rotor allows the former to deliver hammer blows as distinguished from cam pushes.

, The parts are=illustrated in the drawing with the teeth of the rotor upon its periphery and the bar 18 pivoted to swing in the plane of the rotor, with its teeth 21 and 22 on the face away from the diaphragm, but it is of course evident that the placing of the rotor in the same plane as the plane of movement of the bar and the placing of the teeth of the rotor on the periphery are not essential to my invention. In some constructions it need not be necessary to form the two teeth symmetrical or similar, but as I prefer to provide the rotor with mechanism whereby said rotor may be driven in either direction, the teeth are made both symmetrical and similar, so that .niform effect may be secured irrespective of the direction of rotation of the rotor.

Although the specific form of tapper illustrated, may be varied without departing from the scope of my invention, yet at the same time I have discovered, that it is preferable that the barbs rigid rather than flexible to avoid any natural periodicity of vibration. l have found that the rigid, comparatively light, comparatively short, substantially straight bar in the various forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, produces very satisfactory results and is capable of being oscillated ata vvery high rate to deliver very effective blows and produce loud diaphragm vibrations.

Although only a single diaphragm vibrating member may be employed, yet in actual practice 1 preferably employ a plurality operated from a single rotor and acting suecessively on the diaphragm so that the number of blows delivered to the diaphragm for each complete rotation of the rotor will be a multiple of the number of teeth about 'the periphery of the rotor. Two diaphragm tapping members 18 may be employed as shown in Fig. 2 and both mounted upon the same shaft 20. The rotor may in this case be in the formof two separate wheels. rigid in respectto each other, and spaced apart by a driving pinion. The pinion may mesh with a large gear or'gear segment 25, mounted on a shaft 26, so that upon the rotation or oscillation'of the latter the pinion and rotor may be turned at high speed. By securing the two toothed wheels which go to make up the rotor 23, with the teeth of one disposed opposite to the spaces between the teeth on the other, the two diaphragm tapping men'ibers may be made exactly the same but will operate alternately, so that for a rotation of the rotor through the angular distance of one tooth, there will be two separate blows or taps delivered to the diaphragm. By spacing the two wheels apart with the driving pinion therebetween the construction has an added advantage in that it is symmetrical.

As a simple and efficient way of mounting the rotor and diaphragm vibrating memhers, I may employ a substantially U-shaped frame member having side flanges 27 extending inwardly from the peripheral wall of the casing 16, and in planes substantially at right angles to that of the diaphragm. This frame member 27 may be connected to the casing in any suitable manner, as for instance by screws 28 and in order to facilitate slight adjustment of the rotor and diaphragm tappers in respect to the diaphragm, the screw holes through the casing 16 may be made slightly larger thanthe screws as illustrated in Fig. 3. In the form shown in the drawings the casing 16 is substantially cylindrical, although this is of no importance as-far as the operation of the device is concerned. It maybe made cylindrical as shown to secure axial symmetry, but if desired the casing may have two substantially flat opposite walls directly supporting the shafts 20, 24 and 26. As shown the shaft 26 extends through the walls of the casing 16,

while the shafts 20 and 2-1, are carried by the I bent or if the teeth of the rotor become worn,

the two screws 28 may be removed, and the frame member. 27 with the parts carried thereby may be thus removed and replaced by a new frame member with the parts carried thereby. Thus the only parts which are subject to material wear or strain are readily removable as a whole, and new ones may be inserted without employing any special skill or without returning the horn to the factory. Also horns which have been manufactured to receive other operating mechanism may be converted into my type at very little expense.

Any suitable means may be provided for rotating the shaft 26. through partial or complete revolutions, and in either or only a single direction. In the specific .form illustrated the shaft projects through one side of the casing, and carries a handle35, while within the casing. a spring 29 connects a pin 30 on the shaft to a pin 31.fon the casing. The spring tends to rotate-the shaft in one direction until the handle engages with a portion of the casing constituting a stop. By pushing the handle in the opposite direction the shaft is rotated through a part of a revolution and against the tension of the spring until the handle enf which constitutes a stop. l pon releasing the handle the spring returns the parts to the initial position. It is of course evident that the spring might be entirely omitted, and the handle manually returned or the handle might be replaced by an ordinary crank, and continuous rotation in one direction secured. It is of course evident that if only a partial revolution is desired as in the specific construction illustrated, the gear may be replaced by a gear segment. As far as my improved diaphragm means is concerned. it is only essential that the rotor be turned at high speed.

As previously indicated the member 27 with the rotor and diaphragm vibrating members may be adjusted toward and from the diaphragm within certain limits to secure the desired adjustment of the diaphragm tappers and the diaphragm. This adjustment will of course be comparatively small because of the necessity for proper engagement of the pinion with the gearwheel, but by mounting the shaft 26 more nearly below the. shaft 24, a somewhat greater range of adjustment may be secured 'without interfering with the proper meshmoved, the diaphragm will be brought that much nearer to the tapping members. By

insertingtwo or more gaskets, in place of the one shown, the diaphragm may be held at a greater distance from the tapping members. A still further means of adjustment which I may employ is a wear-piece on the diaphragm. In Fig. 1, I have illustrated a construction in which a wear-piece is employed having a flat head 32. integral with or rigidly connected to a screw 33. The screw extends through the diaphragm and may be rotated to advance the head 32 toward or from the striking heads 19. A suitable lock nut 3+1 may be employed to hold the parts in the desired adjustment.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have shown a construction in which there are employed two similar diaphragm tapping members operated from a rotor, including two spaced toothed'wheels. I may if desired use only a single toothed wheel, as shown in Fig. 4. and provide two tapping members 18 mounted upon pivots out of alinement with each other. In this construction the two members may or may not be similar. but due to their difference in form ortheir difference in pivotal support. they operate alternately from a single toothed wheel.

In Fig.5, I have illustrated a further .modification in which there is a single diaphragm tapping member 18" provided with two spaced tapping heads 19, 19 rigid in respect to each other. and disposed upon opposite sides, of the diaphragm; so that a blow is struck first upon one side of the diaphragm and then on the other, and the number of blowsstruek is double the number of teeth on the. rotor for each revolution of the latter. I

A further form in which a single pivoted member may strike. a separate blow for-each movement is shown in Figs. a and 7. Here instead of having two separate heads as in Fig. 5, the diaphragm carries a loop or guide 36, encircling the head of a tapping mem ber 18. The loop or guide is of such size that as the member swings in one direction,

- it strikes the diaphragm. while upon swing- 111g in the opposite direction it strikes the rear end of the loop.

Having thus described my invention. what I claimas new and desire to protect by Let- .tcrs Patent, is: I

1. A horn including in combination a diaphragm. a toothed rotor. pivotally-supported diaphragm tapping mechanism disposed between said rotor and said diaphragm and forcibly moved toward and fromsaid diaphragm by said rotor upon the rotation of the latter. and including two tapping heads alternately striking said diaphrag'mat approximately the same point adjacent to the center of the latter.

2. A horn including in combination a diaphragm, a. toothed rotor. means for rotating it at high speed, and tapping mechanism pivotally supported independently ofsaid toothed rotor and said diaphragm and including two tapping heads operating alternately against said diaphragm at closely spaced points adjacent to the center of the latter upon the. rotation of said toothed rotor. I

3. A horn including in combination a casing, a diaphragn'i, having its peripheral portion supported thereby. a toothed rotor disposed within said casing adjacent to said diaphragnntwo approximately straight bars pivotally supported intermediate of their ends anddisposed: between said rotor and said diaphragm, one end of; each bar terminating in striking relation to the center of said diaphragm, andeach barh-aving two 'teethzengaging with said rotor at spaced points along the periphery of the latter. one of said teeth being disposed-at the end 0ppo site to saidfirst-mentioned end and the other of'said teeth being disposed between said pivoted support and said first-mentioned end, and means for rotating said rotor at high speed to forcibly vibrate said bars simultaneously in opposite directions whereby they strike said diaph'agm alternatelyto vibrate the latter.

4. A horn including in con'ibination :1 diaphragm, a rotor disposed adjacent to said diaphragm. two diaphragm tapping members pivotally supported intermediate 01 their ends between said rotor and said diaphragm, oneend of each member terminating closely adjacent to the center of said diaphragm, and constituting a diaphragm tapping head, and'said members each havingthe side thereof away from said diaphragm engaging with the projections of said rotor, and means for rotating said rotor athigh speed to force said menibers alternately into engagement with said diaphragm.

A horn including in combination a diaphragm, a rotor adjaccnt thereto and including a pinion and twotoothed wheels rigid therewith and on opposite sides thereof, and two comparatively short bars disposed side by side. and each pivotally supported intermediate of its ends, one end of each bar terminating closely adjacent to the center of said diaphragm. and constituting a diaphragm vibrating head, and each bar hav ing two teeth engagin with its respective toothed wheel at SPZICH points along the periphery of the latter, one of said teeth being disposed at the end opposite to said diaphragm vibrating head. and the other of said teeth being disposed approximately midway between said pivoted support and said vibrating head,'and a gear meshing with said pinion for rotating the latter.

(5. A horn including in combination a dia phragm. a toothed member disposed within said casing. adjacent to said diaphragm and two bars disposed side by side and pivotally supported intermediate of their ends, one end of each bar terminating in a head in tapping relationship to the centerof said diaphragm, and each bar'having two symmetrical teeth withopposite equally inclined faces engaging with said toothed wheel at spaced 'points along the periphery of the latter, one of said teeth being disposed at the end opposite to said diaphragm tapping head, and the other of said teeth being disposed between the pivoted support and said head, and means for rotating said member in either direction to impart ibrations to said bar and said diaphragm.

7. A horn including in combination :1 diaphragm, a shaft parallel to said diaphragm, a rotor on said shaft including a pinion and two toothed wheels, two independentlymovable, pivotally-supported members in tapping relationship to the center portion of said diaphragm, each member having two teeth engaging with its respective toothed wheel at spaced points along the periphery of the latter, a gear engaging with said pinion, and means forrotating said gear at high speed to impart forced tapping movements of said members alternately.

S. A horn including a casing, a diaphragm closing one end of said casing, two flanges projecting ,inwardly from one side of said casing and rigidly supported thereby and adjustable toward and from said diaphragm, a shaft supported by said flanges, substantially parallel to said diaphragm, a rotor and a pinion carried by saidshaft, a second shaft carried by-sald casing, a gear on said secondshaft for driving said pinlon and rotor, means outside of said casing for rotating saidsecond shaft, and means 111 opering said diaphragm.

tltIVB engagement with said rotor for vibratstantially cup-shaped casine having an end wall, a substantially cylindrical peripheral wall and an outwardly extending flange 1ntegral with the peripheral wall at the open said bracket member toward and from'saiddiaphragm, a short oscillatory shaft carried by said bracket member substantially par allel to said diaphragm, a gear wheel and a pinion carried by said shaft, a member extending through said second mentioned aperture and having a toothed portion within said casing'engaging with said pinion and having a handle outside of. said casing manually movable toward said diaphragm to os- '.ei'llate sai'd shaftin one direction, a springfor moving said member in the opposite direction and effecting return oscillation of said shaft, and means carried by said bracket and operated by said gear'wheel and having engagement with said diaphragm at the central portion thereof for vibrating said dia phragm upon the movement of said handle toward and from said diaphragm.

Signed at Elmira, in the county of Cliemung and State of New York this 22nd day of April A. D. 1911?.

GEORGE A. PRoofToR.

'Witnesses: Mrs. C. L. HUNT, L.'S. VI-HTTIER. 

